The LSE was represented in force at the Southern Regions Shotokan Karate Championships held in Crawley on 13 February 2010. And once more the team emerged victorious and did the University proud with an impressive haul of medals.
Shotokan is the most traditional of karate forms practised internationally. Competitions focus on kata (set forms) and kumite (fighting) and all those competing for the LSE, who ranged in grade (belt) levels from novice to advanced, competed in both.
In the individual kata rounds Sam Mir, Velin Djidjev and Colin Spurway produced a number of focused and impressive performances, all reaching the semi-finals of their respective categories. Sam and Velin were then led by Sensei Dario Ghazi in the team kata event, where the team performed in perfect unison the explosive and powerful black-belt kata known as Bassai Dai. With characteristic determination and poise Sensei Dario led his kata team through to the decisive final round, where the team took 3 silver medals for the LSE.
In the kumite rounds the LSE’s team excelled yet further.
The women fought with dogged strength and determination. Notwithstanding that it was their first championship, the two novice belts, Nataliya Shynkaryova and Christelle Pengratis fought particularly well. Both posed serious challenges to their higher graded and more experienced opponents, pushing the match to a draw and forcing an extension into extra time where they only narrowly lost out on proceeding to the next round. Their team mates, Irina Kraicheva and Giorgia Marchiori, displayed similar determination, fighting hard and pushing their opponents all the way.
Rewards were reaped in the team kumite event, where the combined efforts of Irina, Nataliya and Giorgia earned the club another 3 silver medals.
The LSE men showed themselves equally able. In their respective individual fighting events Sam, Velin and Colin deployed skill and strategy to comfortably defeat opponent after opponent in the elimination rounds. Sam destroyed the opponents with his powerful and fast kicks; Velin showed the magic of his quick hands and Colin hustled his opponents with fast combo punches. LSE fighters proceeded confidently to the finals. Sam emerged with Silver, as did Colin (his first medal in an open kumite competition), while Velin took Bronze.
With only an evening’s rest the LSE team arose early the next day for the London Karate Cup and put in yet an another impressive performance, deploying very naturally the resilience and commitment which their coach, Sensei Ghazi, has very carefully cultivated during the last few months of training.
The club was represented by Sensei Dario Ghazi, club captain Sam Mir, Velin Djidjev, Ardavan Ghazi and Karen Dolph. All returned from the tournament with a medal. In total the club secured a further 5 medals – 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze.
For the LSE men – Dario, Sam, Velin and Ardavan – the competition started with the male individual kata event. The first to perform was Dario, who gave a superb performance of the technically challenging kata Unsu, demonstrating his incredible strength and depth of experience. The scores were unbelievably close, putting Dario third in a very tight final. Sam and Velin came next, each performing solidly and placing 4th and 5th respectively, narrowly missing out on the podium action. Ardavan Ghazi, the youngest and most novice member of the LSE squad, showed himself intent on living up to the performances and examples of his more advanced peers, notwithstanding that it was his first tournament. Ardavan performed all of his katas with spirit and strength, going all the way to the finals, where he took silver. He displayed the same motivation in his individual fights, where he showed a superior ability and awareness of strategy in each match, winning all of his fights with a combination of fast punches and kicks and eventually defeating the favourite in his category to take the gold.
Sam and Velin’s successes continued in their individual fighting events. Each of their fights served as a platform to show the skills they had so carefully honed during the preceding months of training. Both deployed impeccable strategy, defeating each opponent quickly and efficiently, whether by fast and timely counter punches, explosive and unstoppable attacks or perfectly placed kicks. Velin narrowly lost out on a medal in the quarter final. Having achieved spectacular victories in his first two bouts, wowing the audience with scores of 8:0 and 8:1, Sam went straight to the semi finals where he narrowly lost the match but took another bronze medal for the LSE.
The last event for the day was the team kumite. The LSE team had three members – Sam, Velin and Karen. This was yet another chance for them to demonstrate their abilities, which they did magnificently. The team marched to the finals, dispatching stiff competition along the way from members of national team. In the final, Karen was unsuccessful, but Velin took his match with a score of 7:5. The score was now one win to each team and all eyes looked to Sam, who did not disappoint. Cheered on by the excited audience Sam started comfortably with a couple of kicks. His opponent put in a great deal of effort trying to turn the match around. But nothing could stop the LSE captain. Sam took the match 8:6 with a succession of sharp punches to the head, leading his team to gold. Sensei Dario Ghazi coached and encouraged from the sidelines, clearly proud to see another incredible performance from his students.
With a total tally of 17 medals in one weekend, the LSE team showed once more the dividends of their hard work and dedication in training, under the expert guidance of Sensei Dario Ghazi. “I’m quietly confident that the experience and adrenaline from these competitions will inspire the team to even greater things in the months ahead”, said Sensei Dario.
Whatever happens, the LSE Karate Club clearly has a reputation to protect. With impressive successes at the Students’ Nationals late last year and the Southern Regions and London Karate Cup this year, much is expected of the club in the months to come. Watch this space!
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